“It’s really not where we’d like to see it. We are automotive dependent, there’s no question about that, here in Detroit and Michigan. And I think that the fact that the cars are selling again has certainly helped us,” says Van Elslander.

Van Elslander says the store is the largest retail space on Woodward Avenue.

“It wasn’t a question of business climate as much as people asking me, Art, why did you ever, ever close Scott’s?… ,” “and I said I should never have closed it. I was really sorry that I did,” he says.

The store opened to the public following a ribbon cutting Thursday morning.